1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of data processing systems. More particularly, this invention relates to the management of computer program configuration data, such as, for example, Windows Registry data, within data processing systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to associate configuration data with computer programs. As an example, when a computer program is first installed a user may be allowed to specify certain options as to how that computer program is to be configured. One example would be the language to be used for the display of messages or instructions, parameters specifying the location of different components of the computer program product and the like. Within the current range of Windows operating system programs, this configuration data is normally stored within the Windows Registry. The structure and content of the Windows Registry can be complex and problems within this data can lead to unreliability of the associated computer programs. Furthermore, it is difficult to reliably and efficiently centrally manage such configuration data installed on computer networks and the like. If System Administrators wish to check if the configuration of the computers on their network is correct and depending on the result of this check want to apply a certain configuration, then they may have little choice but to make this check and change for each separate computer and each configuration setting.